Successful interviews

Some courses will require you to attend an interview in order to further assess your academic potential - find out more below.

As part of your UCAS application you might be asked to attend an interview. Don’t panic, it is just a way of making sure that it is the right course for you and we have lots of helpful advice to help you be successful.

You are likely to be interviewed as part of your application if you are applying for courses that lead to a profession, or require a bespoke skill such as art and design - you may also be required to bring along a portfolio. Information regarding whether this is a requirement for a particular course can be found on the individual course listing.

For applicable courses, you will be invited to interview after having submitted an application with a strong portfolio of qualifications, personal statement and a reference. The interview should act as an extension of the UCAS application form and be used to highlight additional information that either couldn’t be included initially or was only mentioned briefly due to space restrictions with your personal statement.

Interview FAQs

Received your invitation to attend an interview? You'll likely have lots of questions about how to prepare and what to expect - check out the list of frequently asked questions below.

When will my interview take place?

If you applied before the 15th January equal consideration deadline, then an interview is likely to take place between November and April. If you are invited to an interview, you will be sent details of the location, date and time of your interview.

Do I need to bring anything with me?

Read the letter, email or interview guidance from the school or department to see if there is anything that you need to bring with you. For most non-design/art interviews, you are not usually expected to bring anything – just you!

What should I wear?

The interview guidance from the school or department will tell you if there is a specific dress code for your interview. If not, wear something smart that you feel comfortable in.

How should I prepare for the interview?

Re-read your personal statement so you can expand on why you are interested in a course.

Try to think of questions you may be asked.

Does your school/college offer any ‘mock interviews’? Ask your teachers/parents/carers to ask you some questions about joining a University course to help you build confidence in replying.

Look at recent articles about the University or the school/department and develop and up to date knowledge about the subject you have applied to study. The University website is a good place to start.

Come along with questions about the course/University that you are unsure of – it's a perfect opportunity to ask!

Interviews provide us with the opportunity to assess candidates’ subject knowledge as well as their soft skills. These might include…

Communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Teamwork (where group activities are involved)

Adaptability

Your enthusiasm for the subject

Independent thinking

Feel nervous?

It is not unusual to feel nervous about an interview. Interviewers are genuinely interested in you and your application, they do expect you to be nervous. The questions are designed to help them assess your skills and qualities for the course. They may ask about why you want to study this particular course and find out what you know about the course content and your future career aspirations. The process is designed to give you the best chance to shine and to show off all of your skills and knowledge, but please do not worry, we are not expecting you to get all of the questions right!

What if I don’t know the answer?

Don’t worry if you don’t know the answer. In some instances there won’t necessarily be a single, correct answer.

Interviewers want to find out how you would approach a problem. They are interested in the process you would use to seek an answer as well as your ability to apply your existing knowledge to a new situation.

If you don’t understand what you have been asked then please seek clarification from the interviewer. They should be able to reword or explain their question so it is clear what they are asking.

Don’t be afraid to express your ideas and present your answer in your own way. Even though you may have previously learned to provide certain answers to satisfy teachers or test papers, it is your ideas that we want to hear about. If you think there may be more to a situation or you have a suggestion for a new approach then please share it!

What if I can’t make the interview date/time?

When you receive your invitation to interview, you may have a choice of dates, therefore, we would hope one of them may be possible for you. If the dates/times are not suitable, then do please call the school/department to see what other options many be available for you.

If you have booked onto an interview day and circumstances mean you are unable to attend, then do please contact the school/department to rearrange your visit.

Loughborough University will do everything possible to avoid cancelling interview dates but on rare occasions this may be necessary due to circumstances that are beyond our control.

Applicants will not be penalised for non-attendance where the cancellation has been made by the University. In the unlikely event that we must make a cancellation, we will give as much notice as possible to applicants. We will also provide information about revised arrangements as soon as we can.

What if I have individual requirements?

Please speak to the admissions staff in the relevant academic school/department in advance of the day if you have any individual requirements that you think we should be aware of.

When will I find out if I’ve been successful?

You should hear the outcome of your interview within 2-3 weeks. Your UCAS track will be updated. Also, do please check your emails as most universities will contact you this way too.